Charleville crash: woman, 87, pleads guilty over death of mother of five

'She knew she was going to die'

Mary Fehilly, 72, was walking along Main Street in Charleville on November 2, 2024, when she and John Collins, 68, were struck by a Mazda driven by Agnes Foley.

Fehilly's daughter Siobhán described her mother as “the heart of family” in a victim impact statement read at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. 

She recalled how her parents had been married for 49 years and had been eagerly anticipating their 50th wedding anniversary, which they never had the chance to celebrate.

The family also spoke of the moment they saw Fehilly lying injured on the pavement after the collision.

“We will never forget seeing our beautiful mother lying on the footpath in Charleville town. She knew she was badly injured and she said to us: ‘I'm going to die’,” Siobhán told the court.

Fatal Charleville crash happened as driver tried to park her car

The statement was delivered by Garda Helen O'Callaghan on behalf of Fehilly's husband, George, and their five children: Siobhán, Nollaig, Pádraig, Maeve and Gearóid.

Foley, who lives in Farran, Charleville, pleaded guilty to careless driving causing Fehilly's death and causing serious bodily harm to Collins. The case was heard at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Garda Christopher Gleeson, from Charleville Garda Station, explained that Foley had travelled into town with her daughter to have lunch. 

While trying to park her Mazda, she accidentally pressed the accelerator after her foot slipped from the brake.

The car then mounted the footpath before rolling backwards, hitting both pedestrians. The circumstances of the crash were reported by the Irish Times.

Driver had 60 years behind the wheel before the fatal crash

Fehilly sustained multiple traumatic injuries and was taken by air ambulance to Cork University Hospital. 

Despite receiving treatment, she died later that night. State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCarthy concluded that she had suffered fatal haemorrhage and shock as a result of her injuries.

Collins was also seriously hurt, suffering a fractured pelvis and significant injuries to his left leg.

The court heard that Foley had been driving for six decades without any previous incident before the collision.

The case comes amid a number of other serious driving matters being dealt with by Irish courts, including the arrest of two teenagers accused of travelling the wrong way along a motorway in Cork and proceedings involving a farmer accused of attempting to strike Micheál Martin with his vehicle.